I have lost track of the times I have driven through Bassingbourn and pointed at Yuva in the car.
This restaurant has been on my list for such a long time now but for some reason or another it has always managed to escape me!
I was delighted to be finally able to pay a well over due visit and sample some of the amazing food on offer by Amran and the team.
Yuva is an Indian Nepalese fusion restaurant offering a wide selection of dishes for the Royston area. Located in the old Red Lion pub, the team as Yuva have done a fantastic job of renovating the old pub into a modern and sophisticated dining experience which still manages to keep a lot of the historic charm of the original building. I was particularly charmed by the numerous fire places throughout the restaurant, perfectly maintained in their original design.
For people located north of Cambridge (which is most of Cambridgeshire) it can be a bit of a drive to Bassingbourn but Yuva has excellent parking which makes driving here very easy.
Upon entering I was warmly greeted by Amran and led to the bar. They have a plastic shield up across the bar to reduce exposure to COVID (which is great for people still concerned about the pandemic). There was no beer on tap but they had a selection of beers and non alcoholic bottles. I noticed Kingfisher and Cobra both available.
Upon sitting down at our table we decided to have some papadums while we waited. The first thing which struck me was how they had 5 condiments rather than the usual 3-4 you’d expect from most other restaurants. Everything from lime pickle to the yogurt was here, so nobody should be missing out on their favourite.
Everything was done to a high standard but the onion salad was absolutely incredible. How many times have you been to an Indian restaurant and had crudely chopped chunks of white onion and a measly sprinkle of cucumber? Not here! It was one of the best examples of onion salad I have ever had in my life, which had such a depth of flavour I could eat it on its own.
The yogurt was also a side which stood out for me. So thick and flavourful. I highly recommend!
We started off with the Lamb Pathia Puree, which were spiced pulled lamb in deep fried puree wraps. They were absolutely fantastic. So succulent and held together well. This was probably one of my favourite dishes of the evening. The presentation was absolutely brilliant too, with the outer rim of the plate covered in a rich sauce.
Ollie had the Zinga King Prawn, which was another excellent start to the evening. The prawns were a generous size and incredibly succulent. There was a real caramel flavour to these, almost like sugar cane, which really make this pop!
I asked Amran to take us on journey to show us what Yuva has to offer, and boy, he did not disappoint. He asked us what our preferences were to food prior to the meal and catered them accordingly. This is absolutely key at any top restaurant as any dish. Naturally, I mentioned that I was quite partial to spicy food but explained that I did not want it to ruin the character of the cuisine, which he understood and took on board.
My lamb dish was exquisite. So tender, full of flavour, a lovely juicy texture, and yes, a warm spicy glow which built up over the course of the meal. The chef had managed to encapsulate my preferences while still respecting the original dish. Lamb is also a hard meat to get right and it became quickly apparent as to why the chef at Yuva has won so many awards. Bravo!
The Garlic Chilli Chicken was also of good quality. The chicken was not as tender as I would have liked but the sauce catered for it appropriately. This is a good dish to have with rice.
The naan was soft and well looked after, as it should be. No sign of burn or being left under a lamp to dry out. Marvellous.
After our meals, we were given the dessert menu. We were so full from our mains, I did not think we could take anymore food…but Amran managed to twist our arm!
The menu was a rather standard Indian dessert menu, including the famous dessert penguin for the children, but I noticed a pistachio flavoured Indian ice cream which was delicious.
Everything at Yuva was how I imagined it would be. High quality Nepalese and Indian cuisine in a stylish yet historic surrounding. The service was impeccable, with excellent communication and a friendly and approachable team. The lamb quality was superb and some of the best onion salad I have ever come across.
Make sure you pay the team at Yuva a visit and let us know on The Cambridge Curry Community what you think!
A big thank you to Amran and the team for such a wonderful meal!
The Cambridge Foodies 